Manure-loader.



M. W. BRENNAN.

MANURE LOADER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED JUNE 1o, 1909.

M24/57mm. MW fz?.

Patented June 7, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented June 7, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2;

M. W. BRENNAN.

MANURE LOADER. l Y APPLICATION FILED JUNE l0, 1909. 96094900 v im. 4 WT..

M. W. BRENNAN.

MANURE LOADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 1o, 1909.

960,490. l Patented June 7,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

22m/Zr.

witnessed MM um MAURICE W. BRENNAN, OF LIASKELL, NEBRASKA.

MANURE-LOADER.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE W. BREN- NAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Maskell, in the county of Dixon and State ofNebraska, have invented a new and useful Manure-Loader, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in manureloaders of that class in which the manure is taken up by a horse fork,elevated, then swung around into position over a wagon, and then dumpedand afterward lowered.

The present invention has for its objects among others to provide asimple and improved device of this general nature which can be easilyoperated and in which the fork, after being dumped, will, of its ownweight, return to its position near the pole or standard from which thecrane is suspended where it may be easily lowered to the ground and madeready for another load.

The device is designed to be manipulated by two persons, one to drivethe team and the other to manipulate the fork.

I aim further at improvements in the details of construction whereby theparts of Y the device may be more readily assembled,

less liable to get out of order, and more certain and positive in theiroperation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part ofthis specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of myimproved manure loader showing the parts in position just as the fork isbeing dumped. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in the positionthey assume when the fork is suspended from the track and in a positionto be dumped. Fig. f3 is an enlarged perspective view of the fork. Fig.4 is an enlarged detail in side elevation showing the carrier and thetrack from which it is suspended. Fig. 5 is a section through Fig. 4.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a platform of suitable size andconstruction,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 10, 1909.

Patented June 7, 1910.

Serial No. 501,300.

adapted to rest upon the ground, and which, if desired, may be removedfrom place to place, although designed primarily to be stationed in oneposition, and the fork moved so as to take up the manure from thedifferent portions of the yard or field. Rising from this platform is apost 2 of steel or any suitable material, braced by a suitable brace 3firmly secured at its lower end to the platform and at its upper endconnected with the post, as shown, being strengthened at its upper endby a suitable metallic brace and clamp 4. This post is further braced bythe guy wires or ropes 5 suitably connected at their upper ends to thepost, as by an eye or the like 6, and at their lower ends to the sillsor side bars 14a of the platform, being provided intermediate their endswith suitable means, as, for instance, the turn buckles or the like 7 bywhich the same may be lengthened or shortened, as occasion may require.

8 is a crane disposed near the upper end of the post and connectedtherewith in any suitable manner, so as to swing radially thereupon, soas to bring the crane into any desired position. In this instance, asuitable metallic brace or arm 9, secured to the end of the crane andembracing the post, forms one efficient means of connection. The outerend of this crane or arm 8 is braced by a suitable brace rod 10, as seenin Figs. 1 and 2.

Suspended from the crane or arm 8 is a track 11, in this instance beingshown as suspended by the hangers 12 which are suspended from the irons13 suitably secured to the crane or arm 8, as seen best in Fig. 4. Thistrack is somewhat inclined, the lower end being nearest the post 2 sothat, after the fork has been unloaded, or its contents dumped, the forkwill, of its own weight, run back on the track to the post in positionto be lowered to the ground again and ready for another load.

14 is a carrier or traveler provided with wheels 15 adapted to travel onthe track 11, as shown, and depending from this carrier is the member 1Gin which are journaled, on y suitable shafts 17, the pulleys 18, overwhich the rope 19 is designed to pass. This rope, 19, has one endprovided with a knot or the like 2O which serves to connect it with thedepending portion of the carrier and prevent its being pulledtherethrough, as shown best in Fig. 4. The rope then passes under thepulley 21 carried by the shaft 22 and over the opposite pulley 18 andthen over a pulley 23 at the outer end of the arm or crane 8 and thenceover a pulley 24 carried by the block 25 suspended, as at 26, from theupper end of the post, and thence down and under a pulley 27 suitablymounted at the end of the platform farthest from the post 2, as shown.This rope is then designed to be suitably equipped for attachment and tobe drawn by a horse or horses to move the fork over the ground to gatherthe manure.

2S designates the fork. This may be of any suitable form ofconstruction, but, preferably, of substantially the form seen in Fig. 3,whereinit will be seen that the bottom and sides are composed of thebars or slats 2S), of .metal or other suitable material, the

bottom bars having the vertical extensions 30 and the side bars havingthe cross portions 31 which are secured to said vertical extensions bysuitable means, as bolts or the like 32. The front ends of both thebottom and side bars are pointed or sharpened, as shown at Angularbraces 34 are also provided for strengthening the sides, as seenclearlyy in Fig. 3. These members 34 also provide a slidingengagementbetween the bail and the fork so that in one position the bailmay be used to hoist the fork and in ano-ther position to draw it alongthe ground. Additional braces 35 are provided for the bottom bars, asseen in said Fig. 3, and 3G isa bar extending 'across the bottom of thefork upon the under side of the bottom bars thereof and secured theretoby suitable means, as the bolts or the like 37, said cross bar 3G havingthe vertical extensions 38"se,

l cured to the side bars by suitable means, as

the bolts or the like 39. The upper ends of the angular braces 34'havetheir upper ends provided with hooks or the like 40, designed to receivethe lower ends of the vertical portions of the bail or handle 41 of thefork. The fork is free to swing upon the connections between the lowerends of the side bars of the bail 41 and the hooks 40, when nototherwise restrained, it being noted that thesepivots are to one side ofthe center, that is, to the side farthest from the open or discharge endof the fork.

42 is a handle secured to the back vertical face of the fork and bracedby a suitable brace 43.

44 is a curved trip lever pivotally connected, as at 45, to the handle42 and having near its free end a notch 46 adapted to engage the bail41, as seen clearly in Fig.v 3. Zhen this notch of the trip lever isthus engaged with the bail 41, the. fork is held in a horizontalposition.

47 is a trip rope connected in any suitable manner with the free end ofthe trip lever 44, which latter, in this instance, isshown as providedwith a hook 48 to engage the end of the trip rope. This trip rope passesup over the rcrane or beam and extends down within convenient reach ofthe operator.

49 is an eye swiveled in the upper end of the bail 41r and designed forsuitable connection' with the eye 50 depending from the member 16 of thetraveler or carrier.

The pulley 21, under which the rope 19 passes, is connected with the eye50 and the shaft thereof is mounted in a swinging hanger 51, as seenbest in Fig. 5. This hanger is designed to engage with the hook 52 ofthe arm or lever`53 which 'is pivotally mounted, as at 54, on thecarrier just beneath the track'll. A spring 51a, seen best in Fig. 5,tends to press the catch into engagement with the eye on the fall block51. Secured to the4 under side of the track, near the end nearest thepost 2, isa trip plate 55, as seen best in Fig. 1, with which the freeend of this lever 53 is designed to engage as the carrier, after thefork has'been dumped, returns by gravity to its position at the end ofthe track nearest the pole 2, so as to automatically release the hanger51 and "the pulley 21 and allow the fork, by its own weight, to descend.

lVith the parts constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbeforedescribed, the operation is as follows. The fork, being lowered to theground, the rope 19 is slacki Ltilted position and then the power isapplied to the free end of the rope and the fork dragged along until itis brought near the platform, the rope 47, in the meantime, having oneportion thereof passed around the pulley 56 secured to the post 2 nearthe lower end thereof and thenpassed through the eye 57, so as to guidethe same. Then the fork, filled with the manure, is brought upsuflieiently near the platform, the rope is disen gagedv from the sidepulley and eye and then, when power is applied to the end of the rope,the fork is hoisted into the position in which it is seen in Fig. 1. Thecarrier is then moved along the crane into the position desired and thecrane swung around so as to bring the fork over the wagon or other placewhere it is desired to deposit the manure.

The trip rope 47 is then pulled upon to disor traveler. After the forkhas been dumped, 1t returns, by gravity, vto a position at the end ofthe track near the post 2. As the end of the lever 53 comesin contactwith the trip plate the lever is moved so as to disengage its hooked endfrom the hanger 51 and then the pulley 21 is tree to descend with thefork and the latter is ready to be again taken to the desired positionwhen the operation is repeated.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a simple, yet most etlicientform of manure loader, which can be readily operated and which requiresbut little attention on the part of the persons manipulating the same;and, while the practical embodiment of the invention as hereinbetoredisclosed is what I at the present time consider' preferable, it isevident that the same is subject to changes, variations, andmoditications in detail without departing from the spirit of theinvention or sacrificing any of its advantages. I therefore do not wishto restrict myself to the construction, proportion of parts etc., ashereinbefore disclosed, but reserve the right to make such changes,variations and modiications as come properly within the scope of theprotection prayed.

It is deemed important that the post 2 be a single post and that thecrane be so mounted thereon as to swing radially so that the crane maybe swung through practically an entire circle, so that the manure may begathered from the ground not only throughout the area of an entirecircle but gathered up from aV long distance, which is not possiblewhere the supporting member or portion is a framed structure and thecrane mounted to swing only within the limit of the opposite side barsof such framed support.

What is claimed as new is l. In a manure loader, a single upright, a.crane mounted at one end .thereon for radial movement throughpractically an entire circle, a track suspended from said crane, acarrier movable on' the track, a member suspended from the carrier,pulleys on said member, a rope passed around the said pulleys, a pulleyon the outer end of the crane, and a pulley on the upper end of theupright through which said rope passes, a lever pivotally mounted on thecarrier, a swinging hanger on the member for engagement with a hook onthe lever, and a trip plate depending from said track, and a forkconnected with said rope and movable with the carrier throughpractically an entire circle about the upright.

2. In a manure loader, a single upright, a crane mounted at one endthereon to swing radially throughout substantially an entire circle, atrack suspended from the crane and inclined, a carrier movable on saidtrack, a lever pivotally mounted on said carrier, a spring on thecarrier acting on the lever, a swinging hanger for engagement with thehook of the lever, a trip plate depending from said track, and a ropeguided on the upright and crane and having one end connected with thecarrier, whereby a fork attached to said rope may be moved throughpractically an ent-ire circle.

MAURICE WV. BRENNAN.

Vitnesses Lnws CoLBENsoN, THoMAs H. BRENNAN.

